GSH
05-29-2005, 12:17 AM
In the post-game interview, Mike D'Antoni siad that the Spurs "are playing as hard as I've ever seen anybody play... and they're good." I haven't heard anyone on the Suns' team whining - not about the refs, not about Bruce or Manu, and not even about Joe Johnson being out for the first two games. I've heard some of them say that they (the Suns) haven't played as well as they should, but they have also given credit to the Spurs for playing good ball. It's possible that one of the players may have made some excuse, but I certainly haven't heard it. The Suns definitely haven't been the kind of weasels that Denver and Seattle were.
That attitude is one of the reasons the Suns are still in the playoffs, and the Nuggets and Sonics aren't. And it's why the Suns are going to come out and play hard in the next game, even though they are down 3-0. I wouldn't be surprised if Game 4 turns out to be the toughest of the series.
Before this series started, I said that the Suns would handle themselves better than Denver and Seattle. A lot of you disagreed, and said that D'antoni is one of the biggest whiners in the league. (Right up there with Larry Brown they said.) I think there is a big difference between complaining about a particular incident, and being a crybaby like George Karl or Ray Allen.
I think D'Antoni and Nash have been class acts in their interviews. The last thing I would call Amare Stoudamire is a class act, but he is too tough to whine - or to need to. And Shawn Marion hasn't cried about Bowen shutting him down either. He complained that his team didn't get him the ball often enough, as if that is the reason he hasn't scored much, rather than Bowen's defense. (He's not looking for excuses for why Bowen shut him down... because he's not admitting that anyone shut him down.) He hasn't tried to belittle Bowen - I just took it as him being a tough competitor.
Even if we do close Phoenix out with a sweep, I'll still have a lot more respect for them than for Denver or Seattle. They can admit that this time they have met a better team. But they're not being babies about it.
That attitude is one of the reasons the Suns are still in the playoffs, and the Nuggets and Sonics aren't. And it's why the Suns are going to come out and play hard in the next game, even though they are down 3-0. I wouldn't be surprised if Game 4 turns out to be the toughest of the series.
Before this series started, I said that the Suns would handle themselves better than Denver and Seattle. A lot of you disagreed, and said that D'antoni is one of the biggest whiners in the league. (Right up there with Larry Brown they said.) I think there is a big difference between complaining about a particular incident, and being a crybaby like George Karl or Ray Allen.
I think D'Antoni and Nash have been class acts in their interviews. The last thing I would call Amare Stoudamire is a class act, but he is too tough to whine - or to need to. And Shawn Marion hasn't cried about Bowen shutting him down either. He complained that his team didn't get him the ball often enough, as if that is the reason he hasn't scored much, rather than Bowen's defense. (He's not looking for excuses for why Bowen shut him down... because he's not admitting that anyone shut him down.) He hasn't tried to belittle Bowen - I just took it as him being a tough competitor.
Even if we do close Phoenix out with a sweep, I'll still have a lot more respect for them than for Denver or Seattle. They can admit that this time they have met a better team. But they're not being babies about it.